Energy generation system and related uses thereof

ABSTRACT

A self contained energy generating system that comprises a galvanic battery and a power distribution system. The energy generating system is used to purify water by using a reverse osmosis device that draws in a source of water and transfers electrolytes to the galvanic battery. Upon contact with the electrolyte, the galvanic battery produces energy by an oxidation-reduction reaction of the cathode and anode and transfers energy to the power distribution system, which in turn provides power to the osmosis device. Additionally, the system includes a hydrogen fuel cell to increase the amount of energy generated and a power storage device for storing excess energy generated. The system also includes a controller which is configured to regulate the overall operation of the system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under35 U.S.C. §120 from, the prior Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/650,190, filed on May 22, 2012, the entire contents of which areherein incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to energy generating systems, methods ofuse and applications thereof. More particularly, embodiments of thepresent invention relate to energy generation systems having one or moregalvanic batteries configured for use with an electrolytic solution forproducing energy.

BACKGROUND

Energy is a critical component of modern society and is typicallyconsidered a necessity for health, hygiene, communication and as such isrequired for most devices and applications. In most environments, energyis generally readily available for use as required. However, there aremany instances in which the required energy is not readily available,such as in remote geographic areas, austere environments, impoverishedregions, disaster areas, and so on. These areas are typically referredto as “off the grid” regions and require access to alternate means tosatisfy their energy requirements, such as batteries, generators, andthe like. Unfortunately, each of these sources has its inherentdisadvantages. For example, batteries are heavy and have limitedoperational life. Generators require fossil fuel and have significantthermal and acoustic signatures. Further, they are expensive and alsohave a significant logistics impact. Renewable energy (e.g., solar)often cannot provide continuous, uninterrupted energy. As such, anenergy generating device capable of operating without batteries,generators and/or renewable energy would be beneficial, especially inremote environments where it is difficult and/or impracticable totransport the consumable items needed for energy generation.

Similar to the above-mentioned situations in which access to energy maybe limited, access to purified, potable water, in situ, continues toface similar challenges in remote locations. For example, currentconditions at military bases require the transport of large amounts ofwater for both drinking and other uses. Currently, drinking water isfrequently provided as bottled water and water for other uses, such aslaundry and cleaning, is transported to the military base via convoys.This approach of providing water to military personnel not only provesto be cost-inefficient but is also considerably risky, as it requiresthe use of personnel for transport, thereby taking those individualsaway from the mission. Further, a gallon of water is approximately 8pounds in weight and depending on the size of the team operating in theremote environment (and the expected duration of the mission), the totalamount of water required can be of a substantial weight. In a militaryapplication where the team often reaches its site by foot, anyadditional weight can be a highly problematic strain.

Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a water purification devicethat is configured to purify water without the need for a generator,fossil fuels or other cumbersome technologies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the disclosed embodiments and many ofthe attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a water purification systemincorporating an electrolytically-driven galvanic battery according toone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A depicts a configuration of a double-sided MagC battery and FIG.2B represents a stack of MagC batteries;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a water purification systemaccording to another embodiment of the disclosure incorporating ahydrogen fuel cell coupled with the galvanic battery;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a water purification systemaccording to another embodiment of the disclosure incorporating acontroller and an external power source;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a water purification systemaccording to another embodiment of the disclosure incorporating a salineinput unit;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a water purification systemaccording to another embodiment of the disclosure incorporating a UVpurifier and a water chiller;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart depicting the steps performed by the waterpurification system that incorporates a self sustained energy generatingsystem; and

FIG. 8 depicts a configuration of an enclosure that houses the waterpurification system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus and method forenergy generating system that is configured to generate energy withoutthe use of fossil fuels, generators, external batteries or the like. Theenergy generation system will be described in context of a waterpurification system, wherein the energy generating system provides therequired amount of energy to perform the water purification process.

According to one embodiment of the invention, an energy generatingsystem comprises one or more galvanic cells using an electrolyticsolution for generating energy. As will be more fully described herein,the energy generating system of the present embodiment of the inventionovercomes the disadvantages associated with conventional energygeneration technology, by requiring only an electrolyte to drive energygeneration. In contrast, conventional technologies usually requirefossil fuels, or similar to drive energy generation. By eliminating theneed for these sources, a compact and easily transportable energygeneration system is realizable in remote environments otherwiseill-suited to the logistics demands conventional systems impose.

The energy generation system will now be discussed in the context of awater purification system, wherein the energy generation system providesthe required amount of energy for successfully implementing the waterpurification operation. However, it is to be appreciated that thisdiscussion is intended to facilitate a more thorough understanding andillustration of the energy generation system, and should not be read asto circumscribe its applicability. To the contrary, there are manycontemplated applications for the energy generation system, not all ofwhich include water purification. Additional and alternativeapplications and embodiments will be more fully described herein.

In an example application, the galvanic battery of the presentembodiment of the invention can be adapted for use in connection with awater purification system. Water purification systems, especially thoseemploying reverse osmosis (RO) units, require an energy source to drivethe RO-based water purification. For example, a small mobile RO unitrequires a 5 kW generator to function, thereby producing a significantlevel of noise and heat signature and also requires constantmaintenance. In the present embodiment of the invention, the galvanicbattery can provide the energy necessary to power the water purifiersystem, thus providing an advantage over conventional approachesrequiring fossil fuel and/or renewable energy sources. Further, a ROunit outputs purified water and a waste stream (electrolytes). If theinput to the RO unit is an electrolytic solution, such as seawater, thewaste stream will also be electrolytic, such as a brine solution.Normally this waste stream is discarded as waste. However, the galvanicbattery of the present embodiment is configured to translate this wasteinto energy, which in turn can be directed back to the RO unit forcontinued operation. Additionally, depending on the configuration of thesystem, the galvanic battery may produce more energy than is required todrive the RO unit, this excess energy can be stored and/or exported foruse by external devices. Thus, in an example application, the presentembodiment provides a self-contained system able to purify water,automatically generate the energy necessary for the water purification,and additionally generate excess energy that can be used to powerexternal devices, all without necessarily relying on generators, fossilfuels and/or renewable energy sources.

Turning to FIG. 1, illustrated is a schematic representation of a waterpurification system 100 employing the galvanic battery energy sourceaccording to an embodiment of the invention. The system 100 preferablyincludes a reverse osmosis (RO) unit 102, a galvanic battery 110, and apower distribution system 114. In operation, the RO unit 102 draws in awater source 104, such as brackish water, seawater or the like andproduces purified water 106, and passes the waste stream 107, to thegalvanic battery 110. Upon contact with the waste stream (i.e., anelectrolyte), the galvanic battery 110 produces energy and transfers itto the power distribution system 114, which makes the energy availableto the RO unit 102 for continued operation. A discussion of each of theexample elements of FIG. 1 will follow.

The RO unit 102 can be any device capable of purifying water, includingforward osmosis, charcoal, simple filtration and the like. The RO unitis a membrane technology-based filtration method that removes particlesand other elements from solutions by applying pressure to the solutionwhen it is on one side of a selective membrane. The RO unit can bevariously combined with other technologies as applications dictate, suchas one or more sediment filters (optionally with varying pores sizes),activated carbon filters, ultra-violet (UV) lamps for disinfecting anymicrobes, sea water-specific elements, and so on. It is to be understoodthat any solution exhibiting electrolytic properties can be used inconnection with the present embodiment of the invention. For example,suitable solutions include salt water, brine, runoff, mineral water,urine, any Chloride (XX-CL), and so on.

Turning now to the galvanic battery 110, the battery 110 is any devicecapable of generating a galvanic reaction in the presence of anelectrolyte. A galvanic battery, also known as a galvanic cell orvoltaic cell, is an electrochemical cell that derives electrical energyfrom a reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction occurring between differentmetals in the presence of an electrolyte. Metals for such galvanicbatteries are often selected with reference to a galvanic series table,i.e., the potential they develop in an electrolyte, along withapplication parameters.

The coupling of a galvanic battery with a RO unit provides certainadvantages. For example, in an RO operation using a chloride-containingwater as a source, brine reject is produced as a byproduct of the waterpurification operation. This reject is often discarded on creation.However, when the RO unit is coupled to a galvanic battery, as describedabove, the brine reject is an essentially free electrolyte able to drivethe galvanic battery 110 and produce energy.

In a preferred embodiment, the galvanic battery 110 is amagnesium-carbon (MagC) battery. Further to the energy production aims,the significant galvanic difference between magnesium and carbon providefor high energy density, particularly relative to conventionalbatteries. More specifically, a conventionally high energy densitybattery, such as a lithium polymer battery, has an energy density ofapproximately 400 watt-hours/Kg. In contrast, a MagC battery displays anenergy density of approximately 1600 watt-hours/Kg, which represents a4× energy increase at approximately a one-quarter of the mass of acomparable lithium polymer battery. In applications where weight is aconcern, such as expeditionary applications (e.g., military operations),the MagC battery provides significant weight advantages without acorresponding energy tradeoff.

MagC batteries may be used in marine environments due to the abundanceof seawater electrolyte that provides the approximately 2% salinity MagCbatteries require for operation. However, as will be shown below, thegalvanic battery 110 can be used in any environment with certainmodifications that provide for the ready supply of a sufficientelectrolyte. The presence of an electrolyte causes the magnesium (or anyother suitable metal/anode) to galvanically corrode, and thereby produceenergy that is captured by the power distribution system 114 (to bediscussed). Further, MagC operation also produces magnesium hydroxide(Mg(OH)₂) as a by-product. Magnesium hydroxide (also known as milk ofmagnesia) is a generally inert compound ideally flushed (actively orpassively) from the battery, and various modifications may be made tofacilitate the steady removal of magnesium hydroxide from between theselected anode and cathode so as to minimize disruption to electricalgeneration. The magnesium hydroxide may suitably be discarded orretained for alternate applications. In what follows, there is firstdescribed a configuration of the MagC battery and then described thepower distribution system of the present embodiment of the energygenerating system.

FIG. 2A depicts the configuration of a double sided MagC battery 200.The MagC battery is predicated upon a galvanic reaction (or differencein potential electric charge) between two dissimilar materials.Referencing the galvanic series, the two most dissimilar materials aremagnesium and carbon. Magnesium (the anode of the battery) 202, corrodeswhen placed in an electrolyte solution with a cathode material, such ascarbon (cathodes 201 and 203). During the corrosion (oxidationreaction), electrons are free to move from the cathode to the anode.Further, if connected together in a circuit, energy can be extractedfrom the corrosion of the anode in the form of direct currentelectricity. Specifically, the chemical reaction governing the operationof a MagC battery can be represented as:Mg+2H₂O→Mg(OH)₂+H₂   (1)

While magnesium, in general, is considered as the anode material of theMagC battery, different alloys of magnesium could be used as anodes. Forexample, the magnesium alloy AT61 offers a performance of 30milli-amperes (mA) per cm² of current density. Further, while AT61 isthe magnesium alloy is used in the example, alloys such as AZ31B, AZ 61and AZ91D can also be used. The cathode material of the MagC battery isa carbon based cathode, referred to as carbon based air cathode 201 and203. The air cathode can further be catalyzed with other elements thatsupport the magnesium/carbon reaction of (1).

In order to generate the optimum amount of power, the cell design asrepresented in FIG. 2A, is double sided (i.e., including a single anodein the center of the cell and 2 air cathodes on both sides). This designallows the cell to generate electricity from both sides of the anode andprovides higher current than a corresponding single sided design whichincludes a single cathode and a single anode arrangement. Further, thedouble-sided design of the MagC battery also aids in the flow of theelectrolyte around the cell to remove the magnesium hydroxide byproduct.However, a single sided design may also be used.

FIG. 2B represents a stack of MagC batteries that can be used as thegalvanic battery 110 in the embodiment of FIG. 1. A frame 211 (made ofacrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)) and a cathode support 213 (ofacrylic plastic) provide the required support to each of the MagCbattery. Further, a pair of base plates 215 are provided to maintain thestack of MagC batteries in position. Alternatively, a single base platecan be used to support the support the stack of MagC batteries. Theframe design as depicted in FIG. 2B allows for the anode to be easilyremoved and replaced for refueling purposes. The number of cells in aparticular stack are dependant on the design parameters of the energygenerating system. For example, a stack with 24 MagC batteries wired inseries, provides a 1.2 VDC and approximately 25 A current per battery.This corresponds to approximately 4.2 kWh of stored energy in the anodeof each battery.

Specifically, the magnesium component of the MagC battery is aconsumable item due to its gradual corrosion, and each cell is able toproduce a generally fixed amount of energy based on the overall size andother relevant parameters of the actual cell. As a given cell cannotproduce energy indefinitely, the limited life has implications to theoverall system 100 design with particular regard to the amount of energyrequired by users of the system 100. As previously mentioned, oneapplication of the water purification system 100 is to supportexpeditionary activity, such as a team of soldiers executing a missionautonomously in an austere environment. The parameters of these missionsare often predetermined, such as the overall mission duration (e.g., 10days) and the number of soldiers constituting the team. Once theparameters are understood (e.g., the number of soldiers, the missionduration, how much water per day per solider is required, and the amountof energy required to produce a unit of water, etc.), the system 100 canbe appropriately constructed to contain any number of MagC batteriesnecessary to produce the required quantity of energy.

Further, the limited life of a galvanic battery also impacts overallsystem 100 lifecycle considerations. For example, there may beapplications in which single system 100 use (e.g., use until the system100 is no longer able to generate electricity) is acceptable, with thesystem 100 being disposed off on expiration. The system 100 can also beconfigured to have modular galvanic batteries 110, in a “plug and play”like manner, removable from the system 100 (as shown in FIG. 2B) onexpiration and replaceable with fresh batteries 110. In one approach,the system 100 is configured conceptually similar to an ink-jet printersuch that an average user (i.e., not necessarily a maintenance operator)can easily remove and replace the consumable item with ease.

Turning now to the power distribution system 114 of FIG. 1, the powerdistribution system 114 is provided as any means, such as a common bus,able to connect to an energy source and transmit power to selectcomponents. In connection with the water purification system 100, thepower distribution system 114 connects the galvanic battery 110 with theRO unit 102, permitting the transmission of energy therebetween.

The system 100 may include one or more power storage devices 116connected to the power distribution system 114 or to another suitablesystem 100 element. The power storage device 116, such as a conventionalbattery (e.g., lead acid, lithium ion, lithium polymer, etc.) may beused to store energy generated by the MagC battery 110. The powerstorage device 116 may store excess energy, i.e., quantities of energypresent in the system 100 beyond that required to power the RO unit 102.Further, the storage device 116 is able to make energy stored thereinavailable to the system 100 as required, or to an external device 120,such as laptops, external battery pack, communication equipment or thelike.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the energygenerating system may comprise a proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogenfuel cell. As is described previously, the oxidation reaction whileemploying a MagC battery results in hydrogen gas as a by-product.Accordingly, this hydrogen gas may be utilized in an additional fuelcell to generate more energy.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the galvanic battery 110 may beassociated with one or more other fuel cells to increase the level ofenergy produced. In connection with the example of the battery 110provided as a MagC battery, the additional fuel cell(s) may suitablyinclude one or more proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells 112. PEMfuel cells are able to generate electrical energy from hydrogen gas,which is one of the by-products of the MagC oxidation reaction. Anysuitable means can be employed for capturing the hydrogen gas outputfrom the battery 110 and introducing the hydrogen gas into the PEM fuelcell, such as various approaches to humidity adjustment, etc. Further,the PEM cell can include a hydrogen regulation system that comprisesvalves and ensures that the captured hydrogen does not seep back intothe MagC battery. Accordingly, coupling a PEM fuel cell with the MagCbattery provides a use for an otherwise discarded product (H₂), and alsoincreases system efficiency by generating additional energy. Further,the PEM cell can include a combustion burner (such as a standard orificetype burner), suitable for burning the collected hydrogen to produceheat energy. It is to be appreciated that any two different types offuel cells or batteries can be used together, where an output of onecell is able to be used by the second fuel cell for energy generation.

Other approaches can be taken to recycle the generated hydrogen gas. Forexample, the hydrogen gas can be exported to various external devicesable to use hydrogen gas as fuel, such as a burner, cooking device,heater, and the like.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the energygenerating system may comprise a controller 122 and an external powerinterface as shown in FIG. 4. The system includes a controller 122 forcontrolling and/or regulating operation of the device. Such a controllermay include a programmable logic controller (PLC) or othermicroprocessor capable of being programmed to ensure system 100operation according to a predetermined number of parameters. Alsoutilized by the controller may be computer readable media such asmemories or other logic circuitry. For example, the controller maydictate that, at system startup, waste (i.e., electrolyte) flows fromthe RO unit 102 at a relatively higher rate so as to minimize galvanicbattery 110 downtime immediately following system 100 startup. Thecontroller may further dictate that once the galvanic battery 110 issufficiently immersed within the electrolyte, the waste flow is reducedto a relatively lower, steady rate. Additionally, the controller mayprovide for a galvanic battery 110 drain sequence to remove electrolytefrom the battery 110 upon certain predetermined states being achieved.These adjustments to flow rates may be mediated by various valves orsimilar mechanisms. Further, the controller may be configured to controla pump which circulates the generated electrolytes within the galvanicbattery.

The controller 122 may also be configured to monitor and record system100 performance. For example, certain levels of activity may bepre-determined as optimal for each system 100 element, such as the ROunit 102 producing a certain volume of reject. The controller 122 mayalso be configured to monitor such performance and adjust the system 100as necessary (e.g., opening/closing various valves, stopping RO unit 102operation, and the like). Further, the controller 122 may monitor andstore system 100 performance, such as the amount of energy produced,runtime, the amount of water purified, the amount of energy exportedfrom the system 100, and so on. Further, the controller 122 may includevarious hardware elements for computing and visually displaying system100 relevant information, such as an amount of life left in the galvanicbattery 110, a level of energy stored in the system 100, and so on. Thecontroller 122 may determine battery 110 life through any suitablemeans, such as measuring the battery's 110 voltage, through appropriatealgorithms that forecast battery life, and the like. The controller'svisual display may be provided as any suitable device capable ofproviding visually-observable information, such as an indicator light, agauge, an electronic screen, and the like.

The feature of indicating system 100 remaining life offers certainbenefits. Returning to the expeditionary mission example, the remaininglife information may inform the mission team whether they are over orunder-utilizing the system 100, and thereby enable the team to adjusttheir usage accordingly. Further, the expeditionary mission team maydetermine, for various reasons, that its originally planned, e.g., 10day mission, now needs to be extended to, e.g., 20 days. As such, theteam can use remaining life information to ration their use of thesystem 100 to support the extended duration. In another example, if theexpeditionary team returns to its home base after completing the missionand the system 100 indicates the there is life remaining, the system canbe used a second time by a team having a mission corresponding to theremaining life.

Further, the power storage unit 116 may optionally be pre-charged andmay contain energy stored for the first use of the system 100. As statedpreviously, the RO unit 102 and the galvanic battery 110 operate in aloop where RO-generated waste provides the electrolyte required by thegalvanic battery 110 to generate energy. In the system's 100 firstusage, the battery 110 may not have been able to generate the energyrequired to drive the RO unit 102.

Accordingly, the power storage device 116, if pre-charged, can providethe priming energy necessary to operate the RO unit 102, which in turnenables the galvanic battery 110 to begin powering the RO unit 102itself.

The system 100 may include an external power interface 118, such as aconventional plug. Such an interface 118 may provide a number offunctional benefits. For example, the interface 118 may enable thesystem 100 to connect to an external energy source (e.g., generator,conventional battery, vehicle battery, conventional energy source, etc.)for drawing additional energy into the system 100. Such additionalenergy may be beneficial in the event the system 100 does not have asufficient initial charge, the galvanic battery 110 is inoperable, or asother conditions dictate.

The external power interface 118 also provides a means for exportingenergy to a device external to the system 100. As previously mentioned,the system 100 is preferably able to generate more energy than the ROunit 102 requires and store the excess energy. This energy can beexported to external devices that have a requirement for energy, such asrechargeable batteries, various electronic devices (e.g., computers) andthe like. The interface 118 may also include an integrated DC to ACinverter.

FIG. 5 depicts another embodiment of the present disclosure wherein thesystem 100 includes a mechanism for adding salt (or similar compound),to the electrolyte 107 provided the by RO unit 102. As previouslystated, the galvanic battery 110 requires an electrolyte to operate. Inthe water purification system 100, the electrolyte is provided by the ROunit 102. However, there are circumstances in which additional salt maybe required. For example, if the system 100 is deployed in a purelyfresh water environment, the salt adder 108 can generate the brine(electrolyte) otherwise not generated by the RO unit 102.

The salt adder 108 is preferably any device capable of providing a saltto the galvanic battery 110. In one embodiment, the salt adder 108 is agenerally cylindrical device having an entrance port (for receiving thereject from the RO unit 102), an exit port (for directing salinatedwater to the battery 110), and a cavity in which a salt is deposited andthrough which water circulates to become salinated. In one approach, theentrance port may be situated relatively lower than the exit port, oreven laterally offset therefrom (to spur cyclonic fluidic movement), toincrease the residence time of water circulating through the adder 108and thereby increase the water's salinity. Further, the salt adder 108may include various means for increasing the water's rate of salination,such as a mechanical perturbator, a heater, and so on.

The salt adder 108 may be a refillable container or be providedpre-loaded for one time use. Further, the amount of salt required isdependent on the system's 100 parameters. In the MagC battery 110example, MagC uses approximately 2% salinity in operation. With thisinformation, coupled with flow rate, the adder 108 dimensions, and thesystem 100 run duration, etc., the amount of salt required by the system100 can readily be determined and loaded into the adder 108 or beindicated as requiring loading of the determined amount.

The salt adder 108 may be configured to actuate as necessary. Forexample, the system 100 may include a salinity sensor that causes ROunit 102 reject to pass through the adder 108 if the sensor determinesthe reject requires additional salinity. The system 100 may also includea bypass valve that permits the reject to bypass the adder 108 ifsufficient salt is already present. Additionally, the adder 108 bypassmay be user-actuable if the user were to determine, for various reasons,that additional salt is not required.

Further, the salt adder 108 also provides a mechanism for starting thesystem 100 for first use. As previously mentioned, the loop between theRO unit 102 and the battery 110 may require an initial source of energyto start the system. Such energy may be provided by the storage device116 being pre-charged. In an alternate approach, a user could injectwater directly into the salt adder 108, bypassing the RO unit 102, whichwould then force salinated water (i.e., electrolyte) into the battery110, and thereby enable the battery 110 to generate energy for poweringthe RO unit 102.

It must be appreciated that the above described embodiments are in noway limiting the scope of the present invention. Various combinations ofthe embodiments may be adopted to perform the energy generationfunction. Additional elements can be added to the system 100 and/orbattery 110 to increase its energy-generation potential. For example,one or more solar panels or other renewable energy-related source may becoupled to the system 100 and/or battery 110 to generate additionalenergy.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6, the water purifying system 100 may alsoinclude an ultra-violet (UV) purifier 80 and a water chiller 90. The UVpurifier is configured to provide further purification of water, forexample bacterial/microbial purification by utilizing ultraviolet light.A miniature chiller 90 may also be used to keep the clean watergenerated by the RO unit 102 and further purified by the UV purifier 90in a cold state.

As is clear from the foregoing discussion of the example waterpurification system 100, the system 100 offers significant benefits overconventional water purification and/or energy generation technology. Forexample, generators are commonly available technology for generatingenergy in remote environments. However, generators have severaldisadvantages. For example, they require fossil fuel to operate. In amilitary application, this requires the user(s) to transport sufficientamounts of fuel to operate the generator to a remote location,significantly increasing the weight/logistics burden on the unit.Additionally, fuel is expensive, non-renewable and otherwiseproblematic. In contrast, the system 100 is adapted to leverage agalvanic reaction as an energy source (instead of a fossil fuel), andrely on a potentially vast electrolyte to drive the reaction. Thisprovides significant weight, cost and logistics demand improvements.

In another benefit, generators are loud and emit a readily detectablethermal signature. In the previously discussed military applications,such acoustic and/or thermal signatures can betray the team's locationand compromise its security. In contrast, the battery 110 of the presentembodiment of the invention operates with very little, if any, acousticand/or thermal signature and can meet the team's energy and potablewater needs without introducing unnecessary operational risks.

In yet another benefit, the exportable power capability of the presentembodiment of the invention can meet localized power needs without thedisadvantages of generators or similar devices. Returning to themilitary scenario, a current military challenge is “lightening theload,” recognizing the fact that the typical soldier carries well over100 pounds of gear with him/her on a given exercise. A significantportion of most soldiers' weight is represented by batteries. Given thechallenges of accessing electricity in remote environments, most carriedbatteries are non-rechargeable and discarded once exhausted. The battery110 provides a way to significantly decrease the amount of batteries agiven soldier carries. Because of its energy exporting capability, thesoldier can now carry the exact number of batteries required to operatehis/her equipment and recharge the batteries as required, rather thancarrying enough replacement batteries to complete a mission. This willreduce the amount of weight each soldier needs to carry (by as much as15 pounds), increasing their effectiveness and decreasing fatigue andinjury.

FIG. 7 depicts a flowchart depicting the steps performed by the waterpurification system. In step S1, the controller queries to check if thegalvanic battery is sufficiently immersed within the electrolyte togenerate the required power that is to be supplied to the reverseosmosis unit. If the response to the query is affirmative, the processproceeds to step S3, where the reverse osmosis unit is supplied power bythe power distribution system.

However, if the response to the query in step S1 is negative, theprocess proceeds to step S2, where external resources are utilized topower up the system. As stated previously, the power up process can beaccomplished in multiple ways. One approach is to add brine solution(electrolytes) through the salt adding mechanism 108, in order to supplythe required amount of electrolytes to the galvanic battery.Alternatively, stored power in the power storage unit 116 can be used tosupply initial power required to activate the RO unit. Further, ifexternal power sources are available (for example generators), theexternal power source could be connected to the system via the powerinterface 118 to supply the required power to the system.

Upon receiving the required power to function, the reverse osmosis unit102, segregates the input water stream into electrolytic solution (wastematerials) and purified water in step S4. The electrolyte solution istransferred from the RO unit to the salt adding mechanism, where thesalinity level of the electrolyte is checked by the salinity monitor(step S7). As stated previously, certain galvanic batteries may requirea minimum level of salinity in the electrolytes to generate energy. Forexample the MagC battery uses approximately 1-2% of salinity level inthe electrolyte to generate energy. If the salinity level of theelectrolyte is within a predetermined limit, the process proceeds tostep S9 where upon the electrolyte is transferred from the salt addingmechanism to the galvanic battery. If the level of salinity is notsufficient, the salinity level of the electrolyte is increased by addingsalt or other compounds via the salt adding mechanism (step s8).

In step S10, upon receiving the electrolytes, the galvanic batteryinitiates the reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction, which generateselectrical energy which is transferred to the power distribution unit(step S12). If MagC batteries are used as the anode and cathode of thegalvanic battery, hydrogen is a byproduct of the redox reaction. In stepS11, the hydrogen gas emitted by the battery is transferred to ahydrogen fuel cell which is used to generate more energy. The totalenergy generated by the system is transferred to a power distributionunit in step S12, where a part of the energy is transferred to thereverse osmosis unit for processing and excess energy is stored in thepower storage unit as shown in step S13.

The purified water stream generated at step S4 is passed through a UVpurifier for further purification in step S5 and through a waterchilling unit in step S6 to maintain the pure water at a certain desiredtemperature, such that the water is ready for consumption/use. Lastly,in step S14, a query is made (by the controller) to check if the systemis to be powered off. If the response to the query is affirmative, thewater purification system ends. Otherwise, the flow proceeds to step S1to repeat the above described mechanism of water purification.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the enclosure (casing) which houses thewater purification system 100. One design for the housing the system isa wheelbarrow (cart) configuration thereby easing the portability of thesystem. Remaining cognizant of the weight of the system and itsapplications in remote locations, the frame of the casing as well as themounting plates that house the RO unit, the galvanic battery, thecontroller, PEM hydrogen fuel cell and other components of the system,may be made of aluminum or other suitable materials. The weight/mass ofthe unit is distributed evenly so that the center of gravity allows auser to easily move the system on wheels and a pair of handles, in awheel-barrow type fashion. Other configurations could easily be used torealize the water purification system. For example, a case mounted(trailer) configuration could be used wherein briefcase type militarizedcases can be used to house the individual components of the system,thereby providing a smaller scale light weight man portable system.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the inventions. Indeed the novel methods and systems describedherein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, variousomissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods andsystems described herein may be made without departing from the spiritof the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents areintended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within thescope and spirit of the inventions.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system for converting a waste stream toenergy comprising: a reverse osmosis device that outputs purified waterand the waste stream; a galvanic battery that receives the waste streamfrom the reverse osmosis device and outputs energy based on areduction-oxidation reaction occurring between a metal in the galvanicbattery and an electrolyte present in the waste stream; a powerdistribution system which receives the energy from the galvanic battery;and a plurality of power storage devices connected to the powerdistribution system that stores energy generated by the galvanicbattery, wherein the reverse osmosis device is further connected to thepower distribution system and receives energy enabling further operationtherefrom.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a hydrogen fuelcell configured to collect hydrogen produced as a byproduct of thereduction oxidation reaction occurring in the galvanic battery.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen fuel cell comprises a hydrogenpolymer exchange membrane configured to utilize the collected hydrogento produce electricity.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydrogenfuel cell comprises a hydrogen regulation system configured to prohibitthe collected hydrogen from flowing back into the galvanic battery. 5.The system of claim 2, further comprising: a combustion burnerconfigured to burn the collected hydrogen to produce heat energy.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising: a salinity monitor configured tomeasure a salinity of the waste stream.
 7. The system of claim 1 furthercomprising: a salt adding device configured to produce a salineelectrolyte solution of a predetermined salinity.
 8. The system of claim1, wherein the galvanic battery is a magnesium-carbon battery.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprises: an ultraviolet purifier configuredto perform bacterial purification; and a chiller unit configured tomaintain the purified water at a predetermined temperature.
 10. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising: an external power interfaceconfigured to connect the system to an external power source for drawingenergy into the system.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising: apump device configured to circulate the electrolyte generated by atleast one of the reverse osmosis device and the salt adding devicethrough the galvanic battery.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein thesystem is fully integrated into a cart or trailer.
 13. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the system is separately packaged comprising: a casemounted reverse osmosis device, a case mounted galvanic battery, a casemounted hydrogen fuel cell device, a case mounted electrical powerdistribution system, and electrical connections to each device thereof.14. A system for converting a waste stream to energy, the systemcomprising: a water purification device that generates purified waterand the waste stream; a galvanic battery that receives the waste streamfrom the water purification device and outputs energy based on areduction-oxidation reaction occurring between a metal in the galvanicbattery and an electrolyte present in the waste stream; a powerdistribution system which receives the energy from the galvanic battery;and a plurality of power storage devices connected to the powerdistribution system that stores energy generated by the galvanicbattery, wherein the water purification device is further connected tothe power distribution system and receives energy enabling furtheroperation therefrom.
 15. The system of claim 1, further comprising: amicroprocessor based controller configured to detect the amount ofelectrolyte in the galvanic battery, adjust the rate of flow ofelectrolyte to the galvanic battery at a first predetermined level atsystem start, maintain the rate of flow of electrolyte to the galvanicbattery at a second predetermined level thereafter, monitor the amountof electrolyte generated by the reverse osmosis device, and control thepower distribution system to transfer a required amount of power to thereverse osmosis device.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the systemis fully integrated into a cart or trailer.
 17. The system of claim 14,wherein the system is separately packaged comprising: a case mountedwater purification device, a case mounted galvanic battery, a casemounted hydrogen fuel cell, a case mounted electrical power distributionsystem, and electrical connections to each device thereof.